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Schooling in Malaysia
There are three schooling options in Malaysia. A child can be enrolled in the Malaysian schooling system, in one of the many international schools in the country or be home-schooled. Primary, secondary and post-secondary education is free in Malaysia for all Malaysians. The Ministry of Education is responsible for all pre-school, primary, secondary and post-secondary education and the Ministry of Higher Education is responsible for tertiary education. Each state also has its own Department of Education. Primary education is compulsory in Malaysia. As of 2005, net primary school enrolment was at 97% and 99% of children completed primary education.UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2014) Malaysia Country Profile. http://www.uis.unesco.org/DataCentre/Pages/country-profile.aspx?code=MYS&regioncode=40515 Given Malaysia's diverse population, the public schooling system offers education in a number of different languages. There are a number of international schools in Malaysia, which follow a different curriculum. These are often characterized by high fees and long waiting lists. Watch the promotional video below, which details the history and ethos of the International Islamic School of Malaysia. Malaysia also has a system of Islamic religious schools. Primary schools are called'' Sekolah Rendah Agama'' (SRA) and secondary schools are called Sekolah Mengah Agama (SMA). The third type of religious school is called Sekolah Agama Rakyat ''(SAR). The schools teach Muslim students subjects that are related to Islam, including history and Arabic. Watch the video below, in which Sarah tells her story of how she converted to Islam and came to understand the faith through her Islamic school in Malaysia. It's an emotional story of her search for God and meaning, as she converted first from Buddhism to Christianity, and finally to Islam. Background: Curriculum Development in Malaysia The development of Malaysia's education system is tied to the country's unique history and may be divided into four distinct periods: the primitive feudal period, the British colonial period; early independence and the era of globalization and liberalization. '''The Primitive and Feudal Period (35 000 B.C. - 1786)' Due to the lack of archeological evidence or historical records, Malaysia's early history is ambiguous. For much of the early period, parts of Malaysia were ruled by a succession of Indo-Malay and Malay kingdoms. Influences from Arabia and India were exported to Malaysia through the spice trade, including Islam, which arrived on the shores of Malacca in the 1400s. Education during this period was typical of feudal societies. Formal education was reserved for members of the royal family and it served the purpose of preparing them for their role as the ruling class. Education for the rest of society was largely informal, its purpose being to pass down traditional values and skills to subsequent generations. During this period, Islamic clergy established a small number of Quranic schools or pondok for the purpose of religious education. The British Colonial Period (1786-1957) Although the Portuguese and Dutch had established some control of certain parts of Malaysia in the early period, the British were the first to colonize all of Malaysia. The main purpose of Malaysia's colonization by the British was commercial exploitation. The concern of the English was to maintain peace and order to facilitate the exploitation of Malaysia's economic resources, especially tin and rubber. As the British started to encourage mass immigration of workers from China and India to work in the tin mines and rubber plantations respectively, Malaysia's demographics began to change dramatically. Rapid urbanization started to occur and industrial towns were dominated by the Chinese and a minority of Indians, who would eventually control commerce and industry. In the early colonial period, the English adopted an educational policy that would result in the creation of four separate education systems in Malaysia. This was comprised of English schools and three types of vernacular schools, namely Malay, Chinese and Indian. Curriculum in Malaysia Malaysia's education system operates on a P-13 system divided into levels by 6-3-2-2 with 6 years of primary school, 3 years of lower secondary education, 2 years of upper secondary education and 2 years of pre-university education. Primary education focuses on 4 R's: reading, writing, arithmetic and reasoning. At the end of primary school all students take the Primary School Assessment Test ( Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah or UPSR ) Secondary education uses the Secondary School Integrated Curriculum (Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Menengah or KBSM), although in 2017 this will be replaced by the Secondary School Standard Curriculum. At the end of the third year of secondary school, students take the Lower Secondary Assessment (Penilian Menengah Rendah ''or PMR) This determines their streaming into science, arts, technical or vocational secondary education. After two years in upper secondary, students take the Malaysian Certificate of Examination (''Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia or SPM) which determines their entry into pre-university programs.SEAMEO. Malaysia. National Education System http://www.seameo.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=111&Itemid=528 Malaysian education is currently going through a major curriculum change. In 2013 the Ministry of Education produced an education blueprint for 2013-2025 aimed at equipping students with 21st century skills. This blueprint has led to a revision of the national curriculum at all levels and a plan of gradual implementation. See the graphic below for information on the new curriculum and changes. This new curriculum has an increased emphasis on developing reasoning, higher order thinking skills and assessment. Learn more about the Malaysia Education Blueprint through this short video. Religion in Curriculum In the national curriculum Muslim students receive 160 minutes of Islamic education and non-Muslim students receive 120 minutes per week of moral education. Both types of education heavily emphasize civic values, patriotism and inter-ethnic peace and harmony. In the new curriculum both Islamic and Moral education will include emphasis on understanding shared core values across religions, more participatory learning and a community service element.Ministry of Education Malaysia (2013) Malaysia Education Blueprint: 2013-2025 http://www.moe.gov.my/cms/upload_files/articlefile/2013/articlefile_file_003108.pdfBrown, G.K (2007) Making Ethnic Citizens: The Politics and Practice of Education in Malaysia. International Journal of Education Development, 27, 318-330 Gender in Education Education in Malaysia is co-ed at all levels. At the level of primary education men outnumber women with data from 2005 showing a gross enrollment ratio of 98.2% for females and 104.6% for males. At the secondary level gross enrollment is 68.5% for females and 73.2% for males according to 2012 UNESCO data. The situation reverses at the tertiary level where more females are enrolled than males. Data from 2012 shows the gross enrollment ratio at 40.6% for females and 33.6% for males. = http://malaysia.angloinfo.com/family/schooling-education/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Malaysia